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PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Man arrested for allegedly killing mom, dumping body in dumpster
A Camarillo man was arrested Friday after police say he killed his mother, dismembered her body, and left it in a dumpster.
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VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – A man has been found not guilty by reason of insanity in the 2022 murder and dismemberment of his mother at their Camarillo apartment complex.
What we know:
On the morning of June 3, 2022, Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Las Positas Apartments on Townsite Promenade after a man searching for recyclables reported finding human remains in a complex dumpster.
Detectives and the Medical Examiner confirmed the dismembered remains belonged to 62-year-old Tomoko Hoetzlein.
An investigation determined her 25-year-old son, David Hoetzlein, who lived with her, had strangled, killed, and dismembered her before placing her body in the dumpster.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Camarillo man charged with murdering mother, dumping body in dumpster
Ventura County Sheriff's Department deputies uncovered evidence linking David Hoetzlein to the crime and arrested him on June 4, 2022.
Hoetzlein was initially held on $3 million bail and faced a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
David Hoetzlein / Ventura County District Attorney's Office
He was subsequently determined incompetent to stand trial until May 2024.
In court, Hoetzlein admitted to second-degree murder.
However, two independent doctors evaluated Hoetzlein and concluded he met the legal criteria for a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity due to a severe mental disorder.
Prosecutors did not object based on his documented mental health history, the doctors' reports, and input from his family.
What they're saying:
"Tomoko Hoetzlein was a devoted mother who did everything in her power to get her son the mental health treatment he desperately needed," said Chief Deputy District Attorney Erin Meister. "Tragically, she lost her life while trying to help him."
What's next:
Hoetzlein will return to court on August 27. He is scheduled to be placed in a maximum-security state mental hospital for treatment, where he faces a maximum term of life in confinement.
The Source: This report is based on information provided by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office and the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.